Two MINI crews complete Stage 8 with top ten placings. 15.01.2018: Dakar Rally 2018 – Stage 8: Uyuni- Tupiz MINI crew Przygonski / Colsoul maintain sixth place overall.. Storms and wet weather conditions force cancellation

Dakar Rally 2018 – Stage 8: Uyuni- Tupiz





    MINI crew Przygonski / Colsoul maintain sixth place overall..

    Storms and wet weather conditions force cancellation of Stage 9.

 

Stage 8 of the Dakar followed the overnight Marathon stage where the crews spent the night at high altitude without any outside assistance from their service crews. This meant the participating competitors completed their own service of their vehicles before settling down for some sleep in overnight tents.



 An early morning start signalled the beginning of Stage 8 and the beginning of the longest special stage of the Dakar so far at 498km.

 

Stage 8 also started with just four cars of the MINI Family taking part. The previous Stage 7 had proved to be a day filled with problems for most competitors. Conditions changing from soft sand to water-lined tracks and mud took its toll on many vehicles and crews.



One such crew was from the MINI Family: Yazeed Al Rajhi (KSA) and co-driver Timo Gottschalk (DEU) in their MINI John Cooper Works Buggy. Unable to complete Stage 7, the Dakar organisers disqualified the crew.

 

The remaining crews of the MINI Family took this information in their stride and set out to make up time during Stage 8 – a difficult task indeed considering the weather and terrain of the high plains (3,500mt above sea level) were constantly changing. From soft dry sand to wet sand and mud, the MINI crews battled on.

 



The MINI John Cooper Works Rally of Orlando Terranova (ARG) and Bernardo Graue (ARG) was the highest of the two MINI cars to complete inside the top ten finishers. Their stage position of sixth place now places them 28th in the overall ‘auto’ category.




One position in stage behind them was “Mr Consistent”, Jakub ‘Kuba’ Przygonski (POL) and his co-driver Tom Colsoul (BEL). With yet another solid performance, Przygonski maintained his sixth place overall.

 

Boris Garafulic (CHI) and co-driver Filipe Palmeiro (POR) also defied the conditions to complete Stage 8. They drove their MINI John Cooper Works Rally to 11th place at the stage finish in Tupiz. The crew currently sit 21st overall.

 

Mikko Hirvonen (FIN) / Andreas Schulz (DEU) set about Stage 8 in a determined mood to take back as many places as they could after a forgetful Stage 7. Thankfully, the pair managed to avoid any serious issues on Stage 8 and took their MINI John Cooper Works Buggy to a well-deserved 17th place at stage end. The pair has now climbed to 19th overall.

 

The severity of Dakar 2018 has seen the auto class of 100-plus starters drop to 45 finishers at the end of Stage 8. Terrain and weather have played a major part in the reduction of competitors.




With the threat of severe storms in the area, the Dakar organising team has made the decision to cancel Stage 9 (Monday 15-01-2018). All competitors and service teams are now on their way to Salta and the starting area for Tuesday’s Stage 10, Salta – Belén.

 

For more information about Dakar 2018, please visit the host’s event home page here.

- MINI,  also photo and Willy Weyens